Russia’s Defence Ministry reported that its air defence forces destroyed 51 Ukrainian drones within a span of less than three hours late on Monday, with the majority of the interceptions occurring in the western Kursk region.
According to a statement shared on the ministry’s Telegram channel, 40 drones were brought down in Kursk between 8:20 p.m. and 11 p.m. Moscow time (1720-2000 GMT).
Meanwhile, a series of explosions echoed across Kyiv around midnight on Tuesday, following air raid alerts issued by Ukraine’s air force, according to a Reuters report.
The Ukrainian military later confirmed that air defence systems had been activated and were working to intercept incoming threats.
Russia Announces 72-Hour Ceasefire
In a separate development, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire set for next week to commemorate Victory Day in World War II, as the United States continues its efforts to broker an agreement to end the conflict now in its third year.
However, Kyiv responded by calling for an immediate and longer truce.
The Kremlin stated that the ceasefire would begin on May 8 and continue until the end of May 10, coinciding with celebrations marking Moscow’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, Russia’s most significant secular holiday. Ukraine, which had earlier agreed to United States President, Donald Trump’s proposal for a full 30-day ceasefire, dismissed Putin’s gesture as superficial.
“If Russia truly wants peace, it must cease fire immediately,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, according to a statement from the ministry. He stressed that Kyiv is prepared for a “lasting, reliable, and complete ceasefire” of at least 30 days.
